Grip pad

ABSTRACT

A pad is provided for use in gripping a portion of a bar that defines a longitudinal axis. The pad is for interposing between the bar and a user&#39;s hand at the palm and fingers. The pad includes a first surface that defines a first outer edge and that faces the user&#39;s palm and fingers. The pad includes a second surface that defines a second outer edge and that faces the bar. The pad includes a cushioning body between the first and second surfaces. The pad body defines, along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bar, a substantially flat shape, and the pad body defines, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bar, a substantially curved shape.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to provisional patent application Ser.No. 60/731,108, filed on Oct. 27, 2005, the disclosure of which isincorporated herein its entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

Various types of pads and gloves have been used to improve grip, e.g.,when gripping the bar of a barbell or dumbbell. For example, U.S. Pat.No. 5,775,756 discloses a straight-edged pad with a domed shape that iswrapped around a bar. The pad is typically made of a rubber with anatural adhesion and is somewhat stretched as it is wrapped around thebar so that the edges overlap and the pad sticks to the bar on its own.Other pads, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,487,412, 5,479,660and 5,831,950 include straps to attach the pad to the user's hand orwrist. U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,901 discloses a rigid plate to distribute theweight that a rider puts on a bicycle handlebar.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to a pad for use in enhancing one's grip,e.g., in weightlifting. Additionally, the pad may be used in anyendeavor where a participant grips a bar or handle, e.g., in riding abicycle, rowing, playing tennis, holding a fishing rod, or in using atool such as a hammer or shovel. The pad is typically not coupled to theuser's hand by straps or other means, but is designed to nestle in thepalm of the user's hand and remain there with the hand in an ordinaryrelaxed position. In use, the pad wraps around the bar between theuser's hand and the bar. The pad is typically provided with asubstantially oval outer edge to cover all portions of the bar where thehand would otherwise be in contact with the bar. The pad is preferablyshaped to generally conform to the shape of the bar, including acurvature about the bar and a substantially flat shape along the bar.The pad may be used to enhance the grip of any handle having a roughlycylindrical shape around which one's fingers and thumb can be wrapped.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a pad in accordance with an embodiment ofa device in accordance with the present disclosure, the pad beingflattened from a nominal curvature to show the short and long axes of agenerally oval shape defined by an outer edge.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section, taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1, showing thepad's body, outer edge, and palm-facing and bar-facing surfaces.

FIG. 3 is a color picture of a pad in accordance with an embodiment of adevice in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pad, shown generally at 10, in accordancewith an embodiment of a device in accordance with the presentdisclosure, includes a palm-facing surface 12, which preferably isprovided with a convex curvature. A bar-facing surface 14 is oppositepalm-facing surface 12, and has a concave curvature that iscomplementary to the convex curvature of surface 12. Surfaces 12 and 14are the outer faces of a cushioning body 16 that extends between thesurfaces. Body 16 has a thickness or width W typically of about 3/32 ofan inch.

Pad 10 is typically formed of a closed-cell, foam rubber material, forexample chloroprene or neoprene. Pad 10 may be molded of ahypoallergenic, neoprene material that is selected to improve grip underwet conditions. Such material is preferably formulated for a hardness ofabout 25 Shore A and a tensile strength of about 500 psi, and to combinewith dyes so that the pad may be produced in any color. Pad 10 has anouter edge 18 that preferably has a generally oval shape. The oval shapemay be a substantially elliptical shape or other curved shape, or mayinclude a combination of straight portions and/or curved portions. Outeredge 18 extends between an outer edge 20 of palm-facing surface 12 andan outer edge 22 of bar-facing surface 14. Outer edge 18 preferably hasa maximum width (across the palm), designated as LA in FIG. 1 of about4.5 inches (slightly wider than the typical hand width). Outer edge 18preferably has a maximum height (from heel of hand to furthest fingerjoint), designated as SA in FIG. 1, of about 3.75 inches. In otherwords, the oval shape of outer edge 18 has a long axis LA, and a shortaxis SA, which is typically perpendicular to the long axis LA.

In FIG. 1, pad 10 is shown positioned on a hand HA, shown in dottedlines. As can be seen, the generally oval shape of pad 10, and itssizing, are preferably selected so that the pad extends across the palmand is slightly wider than the palm, extending along long axis LA beyondthe index finger IF on an inner side 24 and beyond the little finger LFon an outer side 26. The pad's shape and dimensions are preferablyselected to extend along short axis SA from the heel HL of hand HA (tothe right of thumb T in FIG. 1) at a lower side 28 to the first proximaljoints (PJ) of each finger at an upper side 30. Typically, long axis LAof pad 10 is centered on the location in the palm of the hand wherecalluses would typically form.

As shown in FIG. 2, the palm-facing, convex surface 12 generallycorresponds to the bar-facing concave surface 14 and the surfacessubtend an arc or angle A of about 75 to about 150 degrees of arc. Thecurvature is typically circular but may alternatively be elliptical orother curvature and may subtend angles greater or less than 75 to 150degrees. The curvature of the surface is about the long axis LA of thepad, which axis is parallel, in use, to a longitudinal axis of the bar.Thus, the curvature is along the short axis SA of the pad and followsthe natural curve of the hand in a typical resting position with thefingers slightly curled.

Surfaces 12, 14 are preferably substantially flat along the long axisLA. Thus, bar-facing surface 14 conforms to the shape of a bar (notshown) by being curved from upper to lower side to extend around thegenerally cylindrical shape of the bar and by being flat from inner toouter side to extend along bar. Typically the pad is molded to have thisshape, but such shape may be obtained by any suitable means.

The natural retention of the pad in the hand by virtue of its shape maybe enhanced by providing palm-facing surface 12 with a smooth surface,typically by polishing the dye surface in the mold to a smoothness ofabout RMS 32 micro-inches. Alternatively or in addition, the padsthemselves, particularly the palm-facing surface, may be polished to asmooth surface that shows a fine gloss. Pad 10 may be formed byinjection molding or compression molding. Injection molding and the useof the polished internal mold surfaces are believed to result insmoother, more uniform, and more impermeable, non-porous surfaces on pad10. Such pad surfaces are believed to have better performance under wetconditions and to discourage bacterial growth on the pad surface.

The pads may also be printed or molded with a logo or other information,which may be raised, as seen in FIG. 3, or depressed or otherwiseaffixed to the pad.

The device of the present disclosure may also be described as:

A pad for use in gripping a bar, wherein the bar defines a longitudinalaxis, the pad configured for interposing between the bar and a user'shand at the palm and fingers, the pad including:

-   -   (a) a first surface defining a first outer edge, the first        surface for facing the user's palm and fingers;    -   (b) a second surface defining a second outer edge, the second        surface for facing the bar; and    -   (c) a cushioning body between the first and second surfaces, the        body defining, along a direction parallel to the longitudinal        axis of the bar, a substantially flat shape, and the body        defining, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis        of the bar, a substantially curved shape.    -   The substantially curved shape of the body may be substantially        arcuate, subtending an arc of between about 75 degrees and 150        degrees.

The invention may also be described as:

A pad for use in gripping a bar, the pad configured for interposingbetween the bar and a user's hand at the palm and fingers, the padincluding:

-   -   (a) a first surface defining a first outer edge, the first        surface for facing the user's palm and fingers;    -   (b) a second surface defining a second outer edge, the second        surface for facing the bar; and    -   (c) a cushioning body between the first and second surfaces,    -   wherein the first outer edge defines a generally oval shape        defining a long axis and a short axis perpendicular to the long        axis, the generally oval shape sized to extend, with the hand        held open and the long axis disposed across the hand and the        short axis disposed along the hand, from an upper side adjacent        the first proximal joints of the fingers to a lower side        adjacent the heel of the palm.

The generally oval shape of the first outer edge may also be sized toextend from an inner side beyond the index finger of the hand to anouter side beyond the little finger of the hand. The size of the outeredge may be about 4.5-inches along the long axis between the inner andouter edges and about 3.75-inches along the short axis between the upperand lower edges.

The substantially curved shape of the body may be substantially arcuateand subtend an arc of between about 75 degrees and 150 degrees.

The first, palm-facing surface of the pad may be substantially smooth.

The body of the pad may be made of a hypoallergenic, neoprene materialoptimized for enhanced grip under wet conditions, and having a thicknessof about 3/32″, a hardness of about 25 Shore A, and a tensile strengthof about 500 psi.

While the invention has been disclosed in its preferred form, thespecific embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are notto be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations arepossible. Applicants regard the subject matter of the invention toinclude all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations ofthe various elements, features, functions, and/or properties disclosedherein. No single feature, function, element, or property of thedisclosed embodiments is necessarily essential. Any claims in anapplication claiming priority to this application will define certaincombinations and subcombinations that are regarded as novel andnon-obvious. Other combinations and subcombinations of features,functions, elements, and/or properties may be claimed through amendmentof the claims or presentation of new claims in any subsequent or relatedapplication. Such claims are also regarded as included within thesubject matter of applicants’ invention irrespective of whether they arebroader, narrower, or equal in scope to the original claims.

1. A pad for use in gripping a portion of a generally bar-shaped object,wherein the bar-shaped object defines a longitudinal axis, and whereinthe pad is to be interposed between the bar-shaped object and a user'shand at the palm and fingers, the pad comprising: a first surfacedefining a first outer edge, the first surface for facing the user'spalm and fingers; a second surface defining a second outer edge, thesecond surface for facing the bar-shaped object; and a cushioning bodybetween the first and second surfaces, the body defining, along adirection parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bar-shaped object, asubstantially flat shape, and the body defining, in a directionperpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bar-shaped object, asubstantially curved shape.
 2. The pad of claim 1 wherein thesubstantially curved shape of the body subtends an arc of at least about75 degrees
 3. The pad of claim 1 wherein the substantially curved shapeof the body subtends an arc of no more than about 150 degrees.
 4. Thepad of claim 1 wherein the body of the pad has a thickness of about 3/32of an inch.
 5. The pad of claim 1 wherein the body and the surfaces ofthe pad consists of a single, substantially unitary, neoprene material.6. The pad of claim 1 wherein the body of the pad is formed of amaterial having a hardness of at least about 25 Shore A.
 7. The pad ofclaim 1 wherein the body of the pad is formed of a material having atensile strength of at least about 500 psi.
 8. A pad for use in grippinga portion of a generally bar-shaped object, wherein the pad is to beinterposed between the bar-shaped object and a user's hand at the palmand fingers, the pad comprising: a first surface defining a first outeredge, the first surface for facing the user's palm and fingers; a secondsurface defining a second outer edge, the second surface for facing thebar-shaped object; and a cushioning body between the first and secondsurfaces, wherein the first outer edge defines a generally oval shapedefining a long axis and a short axis perpendicular to the long axis,the generally oval shape sized to extend, with the hand held open andthe long axis disposed across the hand and the short axis disposed alongthe hand, from an upper side adjacent the first proximal joints of thefingers to a lower side adjacent the heel of the palm.
 9. The pad ofclaim 8 wherein the body defines, along the long axis of the generallyoval shape, a substantially flat shape.
 10. The pad of claim 8 whereinthe body defines, along the short axis of the generally oval shape, asubstantially curved shape.
 11. The pad of claim 10 wherein thesubstantially curved shape of the body subtends an arc of at least about75 degrees
 12. The pad of claim 10 wherein the substantially curvedshape of the body subtends an arc of no more than about 150 degrees. 13.The pad of claim 8 wherein the generally oval shape of the first outeredge is sized to extend from an inner side beyond the index finger ofthe hand to an outer side beyond the little finger of the hand.
 14. Thepad of claim 8 wherein the long axis of the generally oval shape isabout 4.5-inches in length.
 15. The pad of claim 8 wherein the shortaxis of the generally oval shape is about 3.75-inches in length.